New York Yankees Do Not Play like Rookies

This week Hank Steinbrenner, son of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, once again criticized his father's team and players for poor performance on the playing field. Steinbrenner stopped just short of saying that his players were paid a first class salary and should as a result play first class baseball and be in first place in the league.

The Yankees are not.....playing first class ball or in first place in the league. Currently, they have a 19-21 record and are in forth place in their division, a division they should dominate.

Steinbrenner's remarks came after the Yankees took a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay's Marlins.

The Yankees do have several injuries to key players including MVP Alex Rodriquez and team captain Jorge Posada, but thanks to the highest payroll ($209 million) in all of baseball should have more than enough depth to overcome these injuries.

The problem beyond injuries is that the Yankees are just not playing good baseball. This is most evident in the starting pitching which is ranked 27th in the league with an ERA of 5.08. The Yankees have also suffered from poor run production and defensive lapses a very talented Yankee team should not make.

Steinbrenner can not understand why the Marlins, one of the lowest paid teams in baseball, can play so well and currently be the challenger to the Red Box (a position the Yankees should hold) while his team flounders with the most talented and best paid players in baseball.

It is ironic that Steinbrenner in his critique of his team would compare the Yankee players to the Marlins and suggest that they (the Yankees) needed to play more like them (the Marlins). We need to play harder, and hustle and play more like younger players did in the minors when they were struggling to make it to the majors and to get a big contract, Steinbrenner said.

What Steinbrenner and his wealthy father don't understand (and never will) is that buying the best players from competing teams does guarantee a championship or even a winning team. Baseball is still a team of energy, hustle and teamwork. Baseball games are still won by a team of players who love the game, enjoy each other and work together as a team to overcome individual and team deficiencies. They still play the game because they love it and as a result they dedicate themselves to improve play and to win.

The Yankees have put together a team consisting of the very best players in the league. Many of these players have proven themselves to be the very best at their respective position through play demonstrated on other teams. They are brought to the Yankees through huge contract offers and arrive in the Big Apple with much fanfare and with high expectations. They are expected to produce immediately and consistantly. Immediately they become part of a 'team' which is not a team at all, but a collection of All Stars, each member of which is unaccustomed to being just another team member. Star status among other Stars is soon lost in the shuffle.

Upon joining the Yankees these big name stars have already achieved that pinnacle to which Steinbrenner asks them to aspire. They have reached the major leagues and have been anointed by the best team in the history of baseball with a huge lifetime changing contract....and yet Steinbrenner can't understand why these players can not, do not play "like they did in the minors when they were struggling to make it in the majors and get a big contract".

It is a monster of your own creation, Mr. Steinbrenner....You have met the enemy and it is you.